VOA标准英语2013--Strained Under Benedict, Vatican's Interfaith Ties Already Improving

（单词翻译）

Strained Under Benedict, Vatican's Interfaith Ties Already Improving

The Vatican's relations with other faiths have always been fraught¹. Benedict's papacy, however, has left them in need of repair. He sparked anger across the Muslim world when he cited a 14th century Byzantine emperor who said the Prophet Muhammad had brought things that were "evil and inhuman²."

Omar Shahin, the secretary general of the North American Imams Federation³, said, "It was a very bad start, and, because of this speech, people stop(ped) all interfaith dialogue."

Benedict later apologized saying the emperor's views weren't his own.

Shahin said Francis' first step should be reaching out to Al-Azhar, a center of Islamic learning in Cairo that severed⁴ relations with the Vatican in 2011.

"So now is the time to communicate with them again in order to reopen this dialogue and build more bridges between the Christian⁵ and Muslim communities," said Shahin.

Benedict also angered Jews when he revoked⁶ the ex-communication of a bishop⁷ who denied the Holocaust⁸.

As cardinal⁹, though, Jorge Bergoglio had warm ties with rabbis in Argentina. One referred to the new pope as "my rabbi."

Bergoglio's response to the 1994 bombing of a Jewish community center in Buenos Aires stood out, said American rabbi David Saperstein.

"He was one of the few very prominent leaders to have spoken out, very forcefully, denouncing the attack, and standing¹⁰ in solidarity¹¹ with the Jewish community. And that meant a lot to us," said Saperstein.

Benedict angered other Christian denominations¹² by suggesting they are not true churches. In the first days of Francis' papacy, however, the Vatican's relations with other faiths appear to be on the mend.